


Highwayman

by bennysparks



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: A little bit of blood, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, mentions of fighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 06:55:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20756183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bennysparks/pseuds/bennysparks
Summary: Ben Mitchell can feel the exhaustion pooling in his feet. "Tilt your head back," he hisses. "I thought we agreed that I was the mouthy little asshole in the relationship. You're not supposed to be the one getting into fights."





	Highwayman

Ben Mitchell can feel the exhaustion pooling in his feet. "Tilt your head back," he hisses. "I thought we agreed that  _ I _ was the mouthy little asshole in the relationship. You're not supposed to be the one getting into fights."

Callum is on a stool in the middle of the kitchen. He tries to look at the wall behind him while Ben presses a damp, dark cloth against his nose, sopping up the blood. "I can take care of myself."

"You're not supposed to have to. You're supposed to be the smart one!"

Callum closes his eyes. He isn't going to say anything. He knows exactly what Ben is freaking out about and he isn't going to say anything, because Ben is working on talking about  _ him _ but sometimes, when Callum is the one bringing  _ him _ up, Ben gets weird and quiet and Callum never knows what he's going to get. "I know," he says. "I'm sorry."

"Like who were you even in a fight  _ with? _ I can't actually imagine you in a fight—"

"Ben, I  _ was _ in the army, you know?"

"Okay, fine, I know that, I understand that, but it's a little bit different than you getting into street fights in the middle of the day—you are the smart one who knows how to avoid those situations entirely, while I blunder in shrieking."

"They was shit-talking you," Callum says. "I got into a fight because this guy was talking shit about my boyfriend and I saw red or whatever. Okay?"

"Who?"

"Some guy named...Trevor?"

Ben goes quite still, holding the cloth against Callum's face. He lifts his free hand. "Is he, like, yea high? Kind of oily looking hair?"

"...yes?"

Ben is grinding his teeth. "I might have done a job with him? And maybe slept with him?"

"Excuse me?"

"Way before you, sweetheart.  _ Way _ before you. Like a year and a half ago."

"You had sex with some random you were doing crime with?"

"Doing crime with? Who talks like that?"

"I might be a little thrown off by the whole you-hooked-up-with-him thing."

"I was not always the erudite, well-bred gentleman adventurer that you see before you, Mister Highway." Something grips his insides. "Highwayman."

"Can you not with the puns right now? I have a bloody nose."

"Well, it's not broken at least, although your eye  _ is _ looking a little swollen." Ben smiles down at him. "Were you  _ really _ defending my honour?"

"Jay said you didn't have an honour to defend, earlier."

"World's worst squire, I tell you."

"Sorry," Callum says, wincing. He reaches up and wipes his mouth with the cloth. "It's not like I went looking for it, okay? I hear this guy saying shit about you and I just get really worked up, okay? Everybody always acts like they know who you are and it really pisses me off. And they act like they know me, too, It just—" Callum grunts and throws up his hands in frustration. "You know that I'm not—that's not what I'm like."

"I mean, except for the time you threw  _ me _ against a wall and started yelling at me."

"You sold me a dodgy van, Ben."

"That was a full year ago, Callum."

"I'm just saying that I'm not perfect," Callum says. "And I don't like when people are being assholes about you."

"You're always in my corner," Ben says. He looms over Callum, wiping lightly at his nose, mouth, chin. "By all reports, I believe you will live to fight another day, Mister Highway."

"They better not cross me, is what I'm saying."

Ben snorts. "I'm actually going to start telling people you're a bad influence on  _ me." _


End file.
